The Irish America Hall of Fame was founded by

Irish America magazine ''Irish America'' is a bi-monthly periodical that aims to cover topics relevant to the Irish in North America including a range of political, economic, social, and cultural themes. The magazine’s inaugural issue was published in October 1985. ' ...

in November 2010. It recognizes extraordinary figures in the Irish American community who have had a profound effect on the Irish in America and strengthened the bonds between the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. The Irish America Hall of Fame is the centerpiece of the

Dunbrody (2001) The ''Dunbrody'' is a three-masted barque built in New Ross between 1997 and 2001 by the J F Kennedy Trust . The build team involved participants of FAS community and unemployment schemes working with a core group of experienced shipwrights . ...

Famine Ship's new Emigration History Visitor Center in New Ross, Co. Wexford. It was developed in collaboration with publishers

Niall O'Dowd Niall O'Dowd (born 18 May 1953) in County Tipperary, Ireland, is an Irish American journalist and author living in the United States. He was involved in the negotiations leading to the Northern Irish Good Friday Peace Agreement. He is founder ...

and Patricia Harty of Irish America Magazine. The exhibition celebrates the lives, works, and achievements of noted Irish individuals such as: President John F. Kennedy and the Kennedys, Henry Ford, Donald Keough, and President Clinton.

Honorees

2010 Inductees

Donald Keough Donald Raymond Keough (September 4, 1926 – February 24, 2015) was an Irish-American businessman and Chairman of the Board of Allen & Company LLC, a New York investment banking firm. He was elected to that position in April 1993. Keough retired ...

: Chairman of the Board of Allen & Company Inc.; Former president, COO, and a director of

The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation founded in 1892, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, ...

— Inducted November 201

2011 Inductees

Kevin Cahill (doctor), Dr. Kevin Cahill : Medical Doctor and Chief Medical Advisor for Counterterrorism — Inducted March 2011O'Neill, Aliah
"Doctor as Peacekeeper"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Several buzzwords, not all of them kind, have been used to describe the current state of health care in America."

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

: 42nd President of the United States — Inducted March 2011O'Dowd, Niall
"Politician, Peacemaker, and Hero to Millions of Irish"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "As a major supporter of the Irish peace process, Bill Clinton moved mountains."

Mary Higgins Clark Mary Higgins Clark (born Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins (December 24, 1927 – January 31, 2020) was an American author of suspense novels. Each of her 51 books was a bestseller in the United States and various European countries, and all of he ...

: World-renowned author of suspense novels — Inducted March 2011Harty, Patricia
"The Bestselling Author is Proud to Call Herself An Irish Girl From the Bronx"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "The oldest living resident of New York died recently at age 111 and in a New York Times article only months earlier, she told the reporter that she had kept her mind alert by reading Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark."

Charles Feeney Charles Francis Feeney (born April 23, 1931) is an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune as a co-founder of the Hong Kong based Duty Free Shoppers Group. He is the founder of The Atlantic Philanthropies, one of the ...

: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Humanitarian — Inducted March 2011Romano, Kristin
"The Billionaire Who Quietly and Selflessly Gave it All Away"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Charles "Chuck" Feeney has amassed billions of dollars in wealth. However, he doesn't own an opulent house, a car or a Rolex. He prefers taking cabs, riding the subway, or just walking when he's in New York."

Michael Flatley Michael Ryan Flatley (born July 16, 1958) is an Irish-American dancer. He became known for Irish dance shows ''Riverdance'', '' Lord of the Dance'', ''Feet of Flames'', and ''Celtic Tiger Live''. Flatley's shows have played to more than 60 milli ...

: Lord of the Dance — Inducted March 2011McGoldrick, Debbie
"The Man Who Brought Irish Dance To the Global Stage"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "He's been the world's most famous lord for the past 15 years. Now Michael Flatley is poised to become a movie star . . . and a 3D one at that." William Flynn: President and CEO of the Mutual America and chairman of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy — Inducted March 2011Langan, Sheila
"A Leader in Business and a Force for Progress In the Northern Ireland Peace Process"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "When William J. Flynn was celebrated in a special issue of Irish America in 2008, the outpouring of praise from both sides of the Atlantic was immense." Denis P. Kelleher : Founder, chairman and CEO of Wall Street Access — Inducted March 2011Drew, April
"The Irish Immigrant Who Became a Titan of Wall Street"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Denis Kelleher, the son of a shoemaker, immigrated to New York in 1958, at age 18, with $1.50 in his pocket."

Jean Kennedy Smith Jean Ann Kennedy Smith (February 20, 1928June 17, 2020) was an American diplomat, activist, humanitarian, and author who served as United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1993 to 1998. She was a member of the Kennedy family, the eighth of nine c ...

: American diplomat, former United States Ambassador to Ireland, founder of Very Special Arts — Inducted March 2011Romano, Kristin
"Activist, Humanitarian, Diplomat"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Often referred to as the shy Kennedy, Jean Kennedy Smith has quietly blazed her own trail while still holding true to the family legacy of public service. "

James D. Watson James Dewey Watson (born April 6, 1928) is an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist. In 1953, he co-authored with Francis Crick the academic paper proposing the double helix structure of the DNA molecule. Watson, Crick and ...

: Nobel Prize winner for mapping the structure of DNA — Inducted March 2011O'Dowd, Niall
"He Helped Map the Structure of DNA. Up Next is a Cure For Cancer"
''

'', March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "James Watson helped unravel the structure of DNA, a feat so stunning that it is considered the greatest scientific achievement of the 20th century. "

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural ...

: Irish actress and legend of the American silver screen — Inducted July 201

Bill Ford, Jr. : Executive chairman of Ford Motor Company — Inducted December 2011Harty, Patricia
"Our name is on every product that we sell, and that really gave us the determination to see this through."
"

", December 18, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "The incredible leadership of Ford Motor Company and its executive chairman, Bill Ford, Jr. are hardly surprising when you look at the history of the company and its founder."

2012 Inductees

Loretta Brennan Glucksman : Advocate for Ireland — Inducted March 2012Romano, Kristin
"Loretta Brennan Glucksman Advocate for Ireland"
"

", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "Loretta Brennan Glucksman has worked tirelessly to promote Irish culture and to establish strong ties between America and the island of Ireland." Ray Kelly : New York City Police Commissioner — Inducted March 2012Romano, Kristin
"Ray Kelly New York's Top Cop"
''

'', March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "A former-marine, a beat cop and the only person ever to serve two, non-consecutive terms as New York City Police Commissioner, Raymond P. Kelly has dedicated his life to serving his country and his city." John Lahey : President of

Quinnipiac University Quinnipiac University () is a private university in Hamden, Connecticut. The university grants undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering, School of C ...

— Inducted March 2012Langan, Sheila
"John Lahey Educator and Preserver of Our History"
"

", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "President of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut for over 25 years, Dr. John L. Lahey is as dedicated to leadership and education as he is to his Irish ancestry." Tom Moran : Chairman, president, and CEO of Mutual of America — Inducted March 2012Romano, Kristin
"Tom Moran Businessman and Humanitarian"
"

", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "Chairman, president and CEO of Mutual of America, Tom Moran grew up in Staten Island, one of three children of an Irish-Italian-American mother and an Irish-American father, with roots in Counties Fermanagh and Tipperary."

Kevin Roche Eamonn Kevin Roche (June 14, 1922 – March 1, 2019) was an Irish-born American Pritzker Prize-winning architect. He was responsible for the design/master planning for over 200 built projects in both the U.S. and abroad. These projects in ...

: Architect — Inducted March 2012Langan, Sheila
"Kevin Roche Visionary Architect"
"

", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "Kevin Roche has established himself as one of the finest modern architects of his generation."

2013 Inductees

Joe Biden : Vice President of the United States — Inducted March 2013O'Dowd, Niall
"Vice President Joe Biden Statesman & Everyman"
"

", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013. and addressed immigration reform in his keynote speech. Brian P. Burns : Chairman of BF Enterprises, Inc. — Inducted March 2013Harty, Patricia
"Brian P. Burns Art Collector and Benefactor"
"

", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013. Robert M. Devlin : Chairman of Curragh Capital Partners — Inducted March 2013Langan, Sheila
"Robert M. Devlin Businessman and Philanthropist"
"

", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013. John Fitzpatrick : President and CEO of Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, North America — Inducted March 2013Romano, Kristin
"John Fitzpatrick Hotelier & Humanitarian"
"

", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.

Bruce Morrison Bruce Andrew Morrison (born October 8, 1944) is a former Congressman from Connecticut and candidate for Governor of Connecticut. He is a lobbyist and immigration lawyer. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and an officer of the National D ...

: Former U.S. Congressman and head of Morrison Public Affairs Advocacy Group — Inducted March 2013Langan, Sheila
"Immigration Reformer & Peacekeeper"
"

", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.

2014 Inductees

Christine Kinealy Christine Kinealy is an Irish historian, author, and founding director of Ireland's Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University. She is an authority on Irish history.

: author and founding director of the Ireland's

Great Hunger Institute Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

2015 Inductees

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

: Politician - Inducted March 16, 2015 Robert J. "Bob" McCann: CEO of UBS Group Americas and Wealth Management Americas Patrick Quinn: creator of the Ice Bucket Challenge, which has raised over $100 million in donations for ALS research

2016 Inductees

* President

: Lifetime Achievement award "in recognition of his extraordinary role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland." *

Eileen Collins Eileen Marie Collins (born 19 November 1956) is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force (USAF) colonel. A former flight instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle and the first to command a ...

: Astronaut, NASA's first female space shuttle commander * General Martin Dempsey: former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *

Pete Hamill Pete Hamill (born William Peter Hamill; June 24, 1935August 5, 2020) was an American journalist, novelist, essayist and editor. During his career as a New York City journalist, he was described as "the author of columns that sought to capture th ...

: novelist, essayist, and journalist * Edward J.T. Kenny: special consultant at Mutual of America.Hall of Fame
Irish America Magazine, accessed Jan 10, 2016

References

External links

Irish America magazine at Irish Central.com

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